Actually, I think my SFA album ranking would be exactly the same as the one you (Turrican) posted three years ago, except with Love Kraft moved from the bottom to the top!
(Which would be:Love KraftRadiatorPhantom PowerRings Around The WorldMwngGuerrillaFuzzy LogicHey Venus!Dark Days/Light Years )
Hey Venus! might climb the ladder if I would listen to it some more. The presence of Slow Life on the latter may mean that Radiator and Phantom Power should switch places.
― Valentijn, Tuesday, 17 April 2018 13:18 (six years ago) link
Love Kraft doesn't really feel like a "warm" record to me - I don't get any kind of emotional warmth out of it, and it doesn't strike me as being a sunny kind of record. It feels more like a night time record, but the kind of night where you're tired and can't sleep because it's too hot and the air conditioning is fucked.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Tuesday, 17 April 2018 13:19 (six years ago) link
if we do a poll we better get at least 30 track slots― Simon H., Tuesday, April 17, 2018 1:04 PM (fifteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Simon H., Tuesday, April 17, 2018 1:04 PM (fifteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Yes - a 25 song ballot would be too brutal.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Tuesday, 17 April 2018 13:23 (six years ago) link
I know people love the early stuff but the "huge recording budgets" middle period (RATW->LK) is the real business for me. Lots of great b-sides too. I even like some of the Phantom Phorce remixes.
― Simon H., Tuesday, 17 April 2018 13:31 (six years ago) link
I partly agree - I love how they took the money that Sony were throwing at them and using it to make these intricately produced, well presented records and investing in neat ideas like the surround sound editions of the albums etc. The earlier stuff showed they could be very creative without the huge recording budgets, though, and without sacrificing the songwriting, which to me is what the band were really about.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Tuesday, 17 April 2018 15:24 (six years ago) link
i'd also take part in a sfa poll. i was obsessed with rings and phantom power in high school but never got around to the early or later records
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Tuesday, 17 April 2018 15:29 (six years ago) link
The early records are fun but I find the buzzy guitar tones a little samey and, while I know this is heretical, I'd rather they'd saved some of the more ambitious stuff like "Mountain People" for that studio-rat phase
― Simon H., Tuesday, 17 April 2018 15:31 (six years ago) link
You define early SFA differently to me, I think. For me, early SFA is'Dim Brys, Dim Chwys', the first two EP's and Fuzzy Logic.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Tuesday, 17 April 2018 15:52 (six years ago) link
I don't care to get too granular about it with any band really, I just broadly think of early/mid/late I suppose
― Simon H., Tuesday, 17 April 2018 15:54 (six years ago) link
I see it more as 1994-1996 being the early stuff, 1997-2004 being their peak, and 2005-2009 being the decline/drop off/whatever. Don't forget that Guerrilla was released during the Creation years, which is just as multicoloured as Rings..., albeit on a smaller budget.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Tuesday, 17 April 2018 16:01 (six years ago) link
Hey Venus! is my Love Kraft, I suppose. I really disliked it when it came out but I’ve found myself returning to it over the years and I really have nothing bad to say about any one of its tracks. I even enjoy the b-sides. I still wonder how the original mix sounds. They say “Suckers!” is the only song that was mixed that way and I wonder why they kept t that way when it doesn’t really make sense given it’s one of the ballads on the album.
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 17 April 2018 16:37 (six years ago) link
I like Gruff’s solo career for the most part. His live shows are actually better than any SFA live show I’ve experienced. He’s charismatic, funny and energetic in spite of his overwhelmingly laidback personality. I just wish he’d lay off the quirk and funny lyrics sometimes and strive for more of this type of music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdB3GsJFLm
The other SFAs seem to really bring out the best in his songwriting, though. Like most solo careers, there’s something missing from his recorded output.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 18 April 2018 20:17 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdB3GsJFLmw
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 18 April 2018 20:18 (six years ago) link
Phantom power is the last one I really liked. Excellent Wendy and Bonnie sample on intro. Love Kraft was good enough but gave up after that
― after party for the apocalypse (Ross), Wednesday, 18 April 2018 20:41 (six years ago) link
Yeah, it's a bizarre thing to open up your album with a short sample of someone else's record (considering that 'Hello Sunshine' could still comfortably exist without it) but it works. To be fair, you could put together a decent compilation of post-Phantom Power highlights but it was never the same after that album. I dunno what the fuck happened. I just think they were increasingly more bothered about their solo work and less bothered about the SFA stuff. It was nothing to do with shared songwriting, because SFA were always a collaborative and democratic group.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Wednesday, 18 April 2018 20:53 (six years ago) link
I would be all for a SFA poll. Agree that it would be nice to express love for their great work rather than our disappointment that it has kind of wound down.
Love Kraft has always been my favourite SFA album, I suspect I might be alone in that.
― Naive Teen Idol, Saturday, 21 April 2018 20:18 (six years ago) link
https://instagram.com/p/Bixcy_LnsGu/
I guess we’re getting a Guerrilla reissue soon.
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 15 May 2018 00:17 (six years ago) link
I can't get enough of 'Frontier Man.'
This Cian/Acid Casuals Meic Stevens cover that popped up yesterday is also pretty great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbg8TEJKvv0&feature=youtu.be
An album full of songs like the above would be very nice indeed.
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 15 May 2018 14:06 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbg8TEJKvv0
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 15 May 2018 14:07 (six years ago) link
Oh yay, a reissue!
― imago, Tuesday, 15 May 2018 14:13 (six years ago) link
Not thrilled about reissues, but I'd be lying if I said the prospect of a live Guerrilla show doesn't sound like my dream come true.
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 15 May 2018 14:29 (six years ago) link
Babelsberg picked up a 9/10 in Uncut and a 4/5 in Q. I have to say I'm getting a little excited.
― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, 17 May 2018 16:01 (six years ago) link
Got tickets for the rncm concert. First time my son didn't want to go. Not feeling the vibe these days. Phantom power tour was his first gig. I'm all up for a poll too.
― lefal junglist platton (wtev), Saturday, 9 June 2018 07:09 (six years ago) link
Picked up the ‘Fuzzy Logic’ vinyl reissue this week and appreciated the album anew - I’ve tended to overlook it in favour of the three LPs that followed, thinking of it as a more straight up “rock” record. I think there is a wee bit of that, with the b-sides/‘Out Spaced’ scratching the more out there itch, but I was being unfair.
― michaellambert, Saturday, 9 June 2018 07:41 (six years ago) link
i'm not going to run the SFA poll anytime soon. i won't run it until all albums are on Spotify but that is my hang up. if anyone else wants to run it then be my guest.
― Bee OK, Saturday, 9 June 2018 17:58 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpHY-R70mw4
Guto continuing to be the best member of SFA that isn't Gruff.
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 3 July 2018 14:00 (five years ago) link
https://www.gigwise.com/news/3266952/album-premiere-gulp-all-good-wishes
Gulp LP 2 now streaming (out Friday). Prob. my favorite of the SFA side projects, as I said almost a month ago.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 30 July 2018 19:03 (five years ago) link
Gruff seems to be releasing lots of one-offs now. Here is a one-off called "Bae Bae Bae" for the Eisteddfod:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3Ec3YSkcuLC785tG4gIbIP?si=t6lJofg5RWGEb-15F7Wofg
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 6 August 2018 14:52 (five years ago) link
The Gulp album is sSOOOoooOooooo good. Guto's bass playing is excellent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6y4C2fUjdc
last bump. pls listen to this excellent album.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 8 August 2018 18:25 (five years ago) link
I am enjoying this so far, thanks.
― Hunt3r, Thursday, 9 August 2018 13:24 (five years ago) link
"Bae Bae Bae" is neat actually
― wayne trotsky (Simon H.), Friday, 10 August 2018 18:46 (five years ago) link
Meh.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Friday, 10 August 2018 19:05 (five years ago) link
Turrican otm
― Ross, Friday, 10 August 2018 21:21 (five years ago) link
Obvious Turrican Meh?
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 10 August 2018 22:24 (five years ago) link
Not really expecting much from this, but teasers like this are always worth a second look:
pic.twitter.com/GT20jxP2fw— super furry animals (@superfurry) September 24, 2018
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 24 September 2018 14:43 (five years ago) link
Another fucking reissue/tour? Fuck offffff
― imago, Monday, 24 September 2018 14:59 (five years ago) link
Hard to tell.
I hope not.
Gruff's touring all year, though. Can't imagine he's spending much time on SFA.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 24 September 2018 15:02 (five years ago) link
Shedding their fur - finally splitting up?
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 24 September 2018 15:03 (five years ago) link
Hopefully. They've been trashing themselves for long enough
― imago, Monday, 24 September 2018 15:04 (five years ago) link
jeez, just open the vaults and end it already
― wayne trotsky (Simon H.), Monday, 24 September 2018 15:05 (five years ago) link
Yeah, it's kind of hard to get excited for more reissues. I don't even particularly care about what's already been released. The Fuzzy Logic/Radiator tour was great, though. Was really hoping for new material after seeing that awesome rendition of "Mountain People."
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 24 September 2018 15:31 (five years ago) link
pic.twitter.com/XXGcYz8nmS— super furry animals (@superfurry) September 25, 2018
Doesn’t exactly scream Guerrilla to me
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 13:14 (five years ago) link
Phantom Power surely
― groovypanda, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 14:11 (five years ago) link
Big Phantom Power fan here, but is anyone really clamoring for a Phantom Power re-release? I think it sounds pretty good already. Hope that's not the case. Hope it's not a reissue. It probably will be. *screams*
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 16:08 (five years ago) link
Yeah I think I'll stick with Gruff's tour appearance here in a few weeks.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 16:10 (five years ago) link
Teaser ad to announce splitting up, definitely
― PaulTMA, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 16:13 (five years ago) link
this came out the other day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_WM9I_cupg
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 16:38 (five years ago) link
pic.twitter.com/gryPjGsPFR— super furry animals (@superfurry) September 25, 2018
'notha tweet dropped a minute ago
clearly the yeti faces
:-X
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 16:47 (five years ago) link
They’ve posted five faces now. I think it’s a new album. There’s no reason to produce new artwork and tease to announce an unneeded LP are-release.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 26 September 2018 12:58 (five years ago) link
I dunno, the tweet with the video of the hair and broom made me think of “Ice Hockey Hair”. Would that be part of a ‘Guerilla’ reissue?
― michaellambert, Wednesday, 26 September 2018 16:51 (five years ago) link